


I'm Free

by Then_Theres_You



Category: In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: M/M, Minor Violence, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 04:52:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2216502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Then_Theres_You/pseuds/Then_Theres_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick shows up at the Walkers' in the middle of the night after a confrontation with his dad, Bill. Kieren, being Kieren, blames himself and the two must work together to figure out where they're headed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Free

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoy it. Could be read as pre-series, or as though it's an au where Rick never leaves and Kieren isn't dead, whatever floats your boat.

These days, Kieren spent a lot of his time upstairs in his room, contemplating whether it was better for his love to be unrequited, or to have Rick feel the same way, but continue to deny it. That being said, it wasn't as if Rick completely denied how he felt, it was only when they were in public. They had the cave, even Kieren's room on occasion. 

He drew in a calm breath and dipped the end of his brush into his paint. As he layered the strokes on the canvas and allowed the art to calm him, he thought back to last night. 

"C'mon Ren, Dad dint really mean it. Honest." 

"He seemed pretty serious," Kieren replied doubtfully. His cheek still hurt from being slapped by Bill, after trying to see Rick at home.

"It's not even that bad, can barley see it." Rick grazed over Kieren's reddened cheek. He leaned closer to inspect Kieren and lingered for a moment, before he leaned further and gently kissed it.

Kieren relished in the feeling of soft lips on his burning skin. It was stupid to think how much better a kiss can make something. It was short-lived, however when Rick pulled away sharply and moved back. 

He coughed awkwardly and mumbled unintelligible.

"Erm, anyway...y'know, y'ma best mate 'n' all that. Mi dad can't get rid of yer that easy."

If he didn't know any better, he'd say they were best mates, except best mates rarely drank in a cave together until they ended up kissing.

It always happened like that. Rick'd peck Kieren's cheeks to test the waters, then he'd drink a little and move to his lips or his neck. The more he'd drink, the deeper the kisses would be.

"Yeah, best mates." Kieren took a long drag on a cigarette and closed his eyes as he exhaled. Why did it always have to be this way?

They sat in silence, while Rick took large gulps from the bottle of cheap cider they'd brought with them. 

"D'you think we'll ever be able to do this sober?" Kieren asked eventually. Rick was too busy fiddling with the bottle, trying to put the lid back on, to hear, so Kieren repeated himself.

"Do what sober?"

"Y'know, this...being together."

"We're sober now," he slurred, moving closer.

"Rick, we've been drinking, you're drunk."

"You're drunk," he retaliated childishly.

Kieren wasn't drunk. Sure he'd been drinking, but he knew when to stop. In fact, there were very few times he had been as drunk as Rick, the idea of it had always made him uneasy. 

Rick kissed him again, leaving the conversation for dead. Kieren reciprocated, but it didn't feel right. He knew Rick liked him, even if he was too uncomfortable with it to say, but it was frustrating not to be told. He was always the one doing all the work. It seemed Rick was only truly interested in his affections when wasted. 

Rick's fingers started to untangle themselves from Kieren's hair and hands slipped slowly down his back, he couldn't go along with it any longer. He carefully moved Rick's hands from where they rested just in the waistline of his jeans, and pushed him away.

"We can't keep doing this, Rick." It pained him to say.

"But, I thought you -"

"You have no idea how much I want to, but you're really drunk, I wouldn't feel right about it." He sighed, "I think we should go home anyway, it's late."

Rick nodded sadly, not quite understanding why he was being rejected, and Kieren helped him up. It didn't take long to walk him home. Kieren wished he didn't have to take Rick back there, he wished the night had ended differently. He always wished the night ended differently.

Kieren's thoughts of last night were shattered by a loud banging coming from downstairs. He glanced at the clock, which told him it was 12:15am. Curious, he set his brush down and made his way out of his room. 

His parents had been woken, and were already downstairs, as was Jem, who hadn't yet gone to bed.

"Rick?" He heard his mother say.

"Is Ren 'ere?" Rick pushed past Sue and Steve and searched around until he saw Kieren walking into the living room, at which point, he gripped him on either side of his face and kissed him.

At first, Kieren was sure he was wasted. Although Rick tasted faintly of cheap whiskey, this kiss was different somehow. It wasn't messy like their usual drunken kisses up in the cave, this one was passionate and deep...real. When Rick pulled away, Kieren wasn't sure what to say.

Finding his words, he managed to ask, "what erm...what are you doing here, Rick?"

"I'm free, Ren."

"You're free?" He asked, clicking on a lamp and squinting slightly.

"From mi dad, I'm free."

"Have you been drinking?" He asked, knowing the answer. 

"Just a bit to take the edge off. Am not drunk, really Ren."

Kieren believed him, he could always tell the difference between Rick being drunk and when he'd just been drinking.

When his eyes adjusted and Kieren could see Rick's face, he gasped. His eye was swollen, and would certainly bruise, he had a cut on the bridge of his nose and his lip was spilt at the edge.

"Jesus, Rick. What the hell happened to you?"

"Told mi dad about us. Said to 'im I liked yuh and I'd not let 'im treat yuh 'ow he were. Told 'im 'ow I'm proper mad for yuh. He were proper pissed, kicked shit out o' mi, said he dint want no fairy for a son, then kicked me out t'house. Dint know where to go, reckoned I'd come 'ere 'n' tell yuh."

For the second time, Kieren was at a loss for words. He was furious and delighted and infatuated all at once. He was angry at Bill for one, how could he just kick out his own son? Second, he was mad at himself. Rick'd gone and got himself hurt because of him. But in spite of his anger, he and Rick could be together now, and that meant the world to him.

Kieren thought for a moment, "can Rick stay here?" he asked, turning to his parents. 

"Of course," Sue yawned, pulling her dressing gown further around herself. 

Kieren nodded in thanks and took Rick to the kitchen for some ice. He couldn't find any, but the bag of frozen peas in the bottom of the freezer worked just as well.

Neither of his parents were angered by being woken up, not after hearing what happen to Rick. Sue found herself wondering just how Rick was even moving around at all after dealing with Bill. She assumed he must be high on adrenalin.

"I'll make up the sofa," she offered wearily.

Of course, no one slept on the sofa. Rick spent the night upstairs with Kieren. 

While Rick slept, however, Kieren was wide awake. As the clock turned to five in the morning, he decided to give up on trying to sleep. He'd slept a little, maybe for an hour or so, but only lightly, he kept waking up. Eventually, he got up. 

It was a bright, brisk morning, the cold air made his skin break out in goosebumps the moment he got out from beneath the covers. Kieren pulled on a thick woollen jumper as quickly as he could. 

A narrow slit of golden light wormed through the gap in the curtains and Kieren paced his room, wondering what to do with himself. He couldn't really go downstairs, he daren't risk waking anyone up again. His options were limited, his eyes settled on his art supplies. He was far too tired to continue with his current painting at the time, so instead he picked up his sketch book and some charcoal, and room a seat on the floor.

There was a drawing of Jem in his book, more of an outline really. It needed more shading. Kieren busied himself scribbling and smudging on the page until it started to come together. The picture was starting to come together.

Once he'd finished the first picture, he took on a second partly drawn sketch. This time of his parents. He'd almost finished, when he heard movement. Rick was stirring.


End file.
